At the southern tip of Corsica lie Bonifacio, located on a small peninsula of white limestone. The town is no more than half an hour's drive (27 km) from Porto-Vecchio. The city of Bonifacio is divide into two sections. The vieille ville (old town), and la Haute Ville (the Upper city), on the site of a fortress, is located on the cape overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. Its Old City, with a labyrinth of small streets and historic buildings, was made by the Genoese and is a fascinating location to wander from one place to another. Founded in 828 AD by Count Bonifacio of Tuscany, it is native harbour bears a attractive resemblence to the residence of the Laestrygonians by Homer's Odyssey of the 7th century Before christ.
On your holidayYou can get a ferry journey from Bonifaccio Corsica to Santa Teresa di Gallura in Sardinia isle. Santa Teresa di Gallura is at the northern-most tip of Sardinia. It is the closest town to Corsica and one of the island's most attractive. Over the centuries, the prehistoric Roman settlement has blossomed into a much sought-after visitor vacation spot. From a trip of the picturesque historic centre to the pure waters off peaceful beaches nearby, you won't be disappointed!
If you plan to visit Bonifaccio in the evening make sure you arrive early to parking location, as the town is a magnet for travelers from all over the isle.
Bonifacio Citadel
We walked through the harbour district and then climbed the stairs toward the citadel, perched atop the cliffs. This town goes back centuries and it’s a charming pedestrian-only labyrinth of small streets and alleys offers a number of terrific eating places with superb Mediterranean sea views. It’s possible to take stairs down to the sea but you have to know to climb back up. The harbor of Bonifaccio is very lively what with cafes, eating places and boutiques, as well as numerous ships and boats tied up to the piers and in the yachting marina. The old town was made by Genoese conquerors in the twelfth century and acted to defend the settlement well into the 20th century. It appears to have had modern gun emplacements from the world wars, and was since 1963-1983 the headquarters of the French Foreign Legion.
Walking throug the streets of Bonifacio
As the Old Town is very compact it is easy to explore it in a day. Bonifacio Old Town (Vieille Ville or Haute Ville - Upper Town) is a quick hike up a few steep steps from the harbor. Note - this climb can be relatively tiring in hot weather conditions. In the Old City you can wander around the maze of narrow, winding streets, going to the fascinating historical sites such as the 16th Century Bastion de L'Etendard and twelfth Century Eglise Sainte-Marie Majeure. Scattered in the middle of the impressive church buildings and fortifications are an array of eateries and stores with a good range of souvenirs and jewellery.
For the next century, Corsica was a piece of the March of Tuscany. Fort was afterward modified and enlarged to keep up with martial technological advances. Situated to the west of the town Bonofacio in district called "La Haute Ville" - "The Upper City", high on a narrow highland, the fortress was designed to defend the southern coast from the incursions of the invaders. Bonifacio Fortress has been reconstructed and renovated many times since its building was an administrative center for the French Foreign Legion. Today it is more of a museum.